Happy fourth all.............

gmusic · Post by **gmusic** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:52 am

Hey all,

The fourth is upon us and our season is winding down, about two more weeks of this and I can head home. Then the real work begins, grower recaps and collections! It’s been a rough season, over-production
and lack of promotion at the retail level has rendered a poor market. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last! We have harvested around 5,000 tons so far, shooting for 8,000.
I shot a few pictures to share, if you see the Ridge-Sweet label at your local supermarket, you'll know where they came from.
You may see them in Ca, Or, Wa, Nv, Id, Ut, or Mt.

Missing my hobby…………………….

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:06 am

...My first look I thought you were selling FIRE-WORKS.

I see now you were selling JUNGLE PLUMS..

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:21 am

Are those the good kind WITH the seeds?
I think the seedless melons don't have the flavor the seeded melons have.

Dale

PS- Don't worry about your hobby, we bought all the knives.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 10:34 am

Old Vet are you talking about the last photo?

"I think the seedless melons don't have the flavor the seeded melons have.: ?????...HUMMMM ???

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:05 pm

Great pics my friend, it's sounds like it has been a long season, sorry about the poor market, looking forward to seeing you post more when you get back.

I agree with Dale that the older seedless melons are the best but I am pretty sure your answer will be no. It's almost impossible to find the older variety's these days and the market doesn't want them.

Where are you at now? Have you picked up any new knives while stomping about??

Take care,

Sunburst

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:04 pm

justold52 wrote:Old Vet are you talking about the last photo?

"I think the seedless melons don't have the flavor the seeded melons have.: ?????...HUMMMM ???

I had a feeling someone was going to comment on that.

I was referring to the watermelons in the box on the shipping dock. I love a good watermelon, but in the last 2 or 3 years I haven't been able to find any good ones. All the stores seem to sell the seedless melons. They don't have near the flavor as the ones with seeds.

Dale

MITCH RAPP · Post by **MITCH RAPP** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:48 pm

gmusic; Happy 4th to you!

Good to hear from you, glad all is

well!

gmusic · Post by **gmusic** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:01 pm

Thanks guys for the interest. You are all correct. The seedless melons do not have the sugar or the flavor of the seeded melon. We still use seeded melons for pollinators in our fields, many growers have eliminated that practice with a super-pollinator that does not produce any edible fruit. The market on the seeded was nearly the same as the seedless this year.

Sunburst, I'm still in Bakersfield, I'll be here for a couple weeks longer to wrap it up.
I have not forsaken my knife collecting while here, I think I have 10-15 new additions.

Take care all.....................

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:31 pm

Happy fourth of July to all of my American friends. I hope you (y'all) have a great weekend.

s-k

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:47 pm

Thank you Smiling-knife.

Coming from a Good English Man as you are it means a lot...

We still talk your talk but changed a few meanings to the words..

You should take a Holiday on that day too.

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:53 pm

Hi Ken... While I have lived in the UK for 12 years... I am a Canadian born and raised. I think I should take the next week off just to be safe

s-k

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:29 pm

happy fourth guys and i think you need a week off as well s-k, catch up on some knife shoppimg!

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:06 pm

smiling-knife wrote:Hi Ken... While I have lived in the UK for 12 years... I am a Canadian born and raised. I think I should take the next week off just to be safe s-k

Happy July 4th to all...

Thanks SK and a happy Canada day to you as well..What part of Canada my friend..?

Suinburst

MITCH RAPP · Post by **MITCH RAPP** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:16 pm

Fourth of July Thoughts

(I could not find the original source for this and I hope that it is accurate, but as so much that passes through the Internet, I cannot guarantee its truthfulness. Whether or not this piece is true, it does offer us the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the Fourth Of July Holiday)

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John
Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the
last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men
who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as
traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two
lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;
another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or
hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were
merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation
owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed
the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the
penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and
trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the
British Navy. He sold his home and properties to
pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he
was forced to move his family almost constantly. He
served in the Congress without pay, and his family
was
kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from
him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of
Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walalton, Guinett, Heyward,
Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted
that the British General Cornwallis had taken over
the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly
urged General George Washington to open fire. The
home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties
destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife,
and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she
was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives.
His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.
For more than a year he lived in forests and caves,
returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished. A few weeks later he died from
exhaustion and a broken heart.
Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the
American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed,
rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men
of means and education. They had security, but they valued
liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and
unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this
declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine
providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our
lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America.

The history books never told you a lot about what
happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight
just the British.

We were British subjects at that time and we fought
our own government!
Some of us take these liberties so much for
granted, but we shouldn't.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of
July holiday and silently thank these patriots.
It's not much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember freedom is never free!

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 11:03 pm

Wow, that was impressive Mitch, outstanding addition to this post. That sounds like real history, the kind of history we never learn or hear about in our schools..

Sunburst

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:10 am

Thanks Mitch,
I do believe it is correct. In fact I think there is more to it, at least in one version I saw.

We have a level of freedom in this country that has only been enjoyed by a virtual handful of people in the history of the world. Yet too many people take it for granted, as if it was an entitlement. That is the first step toward loosing that freedom.

The price of freedom is constantly being paid by the blood of patriots.

Dale

useem · Post by **useem** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:39 am

YOU said it brother! HAPPY 4th of JULY everybody